A frantic mother is asking the Juneau community to help locate her missing son.

Leilani Knight-McQueen told the Empire her 15-year-old son, Kai McQueen, ran away around 2 a.m. on Jan. 10 from their home in the Lemon Creek area. At the time he was wearing black sweat pants, a white T-shirt and tan bedroom slippers. He didn’t have on a coat or any other winter garb, she said.

The Juneau Police Department responded to the house that night after police were called, but were unable to locate him.

“He’s still listed as a runaway in our system,” Sgt. Dave Campbell said.

McQueen is a freshman at Juneau-Douglas High School, where he plays football. He is 5-feet-7 and weighs 170 pounds. He is the youngest of six children.

Knight-McQueen says she is fearing the worst for her son, who she has reason to believe might harm himself.

McQueen had previously run away earlier this month, and his mother was informed throughout that incident that he was safe and with friends, though she didn’t know exactly where he was staying.

This time is different, says Knight-McQueen. No one is talking, and she has no idea if he is safe or in harm’s way.

“The pain that goes through with not knowing, I can’t even express that,” she said. “The pain, it’s incredible.”

If someone knows his whereabouts, the mother asks them to either call JPD at 586-0600 or her at 723-9308.

“I want my son back,” his mother said, adding his family misses him and loves him very much.